Life’s Most Amazing Experiences… ♥ ♫♪

Here’s a wonderful article from my amazing Diane……

Isn’t life completely amazing? I look back over the last 7 years at some of the lessons that have had such a powerful impact on the way I now embrace life. I know without doubt that I, like you, am an incredible human being, connected to everyone and everything around me, with the power to create my life.

Fear is disabling, and if it’s present in your energy, then it doesn’t matter what you want to create, whether it’s a loving relationship, a new job or a successful business – the beliefs you have which cause your fear are what will tend to expand in your life. People can often see and feel the fear in you, although they can’t always pinpoint exactly why, somehow it comes through on a subconscious level. Over the last few years I chose to step through each and every fear that held me back, changing every aspect of my life beyond recognition. The only thing that now feels fearful to me is the thought of lying on my deathbed many years from now, looking back with regret at how unfulfilled my life has been, wishing I’d had the courage to play full out and achieve my true potential. That thought is far more frightening than stepping through any fear now…

There is no failure, rejection or disapproval in life, absolutely not – all of these things are ego driven and created within our own minds. I gave up worrying about what others thought about me years ago (such a burden lifted!), and therein disappeared any concept of failure in my life. In fact, making mistakes is an essential part of growing and learning, and the only people who ‘fail’ are those who refuse to step out of their comfort zones for fear of being judged, and then ironically sit in judgement of others who step up and out. Fact – if you choose to live your life through someone else’s eyes and expectations, then you will always be in fear, and you will certainly never experience true happiness.

I learned, with astonishing impact, how much my beliefs formed my experience of life. When I told myself I could achieve something, then miraculously, I could. So I changed my beliefs and embraced every challenge. I now live my life without limits. I realised that blaming others is giving away my power and any control over my experience of life. So I chose to take full responsibility for my emotions, regardless of the behaviour of others – after all, their behaviour is their stuff and they’re quite entitled to have it, without judgement from me.

I learned that my experience of any relationship, intimate and otherwise, was a direct reflection of my relationship with myself. I realised that trying to be what I felt others expected of me was in fact, simply a form of imitation love, which could only leave me in a place of fear… because what if that imitation love wasn’t returned?

Learning how to forgive by looking back over my past and finding lessons and gifts in every experience is the most empowering gift – I learned to thank those people who had caused me pain; they had become my greatest teachers by giving me the most incredible opportunities to master my emotions. Without them, I wouldn’t be teaching today and living life to the full.

I learned just how vital it is to love myself unconditionally. The moment I began to love myself, the more love I had to give and share with others. I was also able to receive more love. But then it’s not surprising really, because no one can love you more than you love yourself. You teach others exactly how to love and treat you by how you love and treat yourself. Yet most of us think that we’re being good and kind by putting ourselves last, whilst eventually secretly harbouring resentment.

I have learned that happiness truly is inside of me… it is not created by anything on the outside. By walking away from a majority of the material possessions I owned, I realised first hand that everything can be taken away except what is on the inside. Within this experience was the most beautiful lesson in acceptance. Now, I feel no fear in my ability to stand alone in this world, knowing without doubt that I can, and will, handle anything… and it was in truly knowing that I am capable of standing alone, that I found the most beautiful relationship and realised that I was the furthest from being alone that I could ever be.

I learned how to go from being in a loving relationship with myself, into being in a loving relationship with another. It was through the ups and downs that the most beautiful and powerful lessons were learned, which ultimately strengthened us beyond words. With Andy, I learned the essence of what it takes to create a deeply loving relationship – a Soul Mate relationship – which I now know without doubt is something that we can all create, not something we stumble upon when we meet someone who makes our heart skip a beat.

Essentially, I realised with absolutely certainty that I create my life – no longer does life simply ‘happen’ to me. Those events that are destined and not within my control, well, I can choose how to respond to them – with love or with fear. I choose love now, because I see what happens when I choose to respond with fear instead.

My truth is this: – I can choose to step out of my comfort zone as often as I wish, I can choose to step through fear, I can choose to have empowering beliefs, I can choose to allow others to hurt me, I can choose how to respond to any situation, I can choose to take responsibility for my life and my emotions, I can choose to be in great energy…… I can choose to create the life of my dreams… or… I can blame others for making my life unhappy. And even as I write that last sentence, I truly trust that you will connect with how ridiculous the latter option is.

I choose happiness… and now, I cannot see any aspect of my life that I do not create. Empowering beyond words!

Di xx

Some Unexpected Benefits Experienced In This Weekend’s Workshop

Hi, It’s Andy here again.

I just wanted to mention some unexpected benefits experienced several participants from this weekend’s ‘Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway’  workshop:

• Everyone slept very well on Saturday night. Two participants in particular suffer from some insomnia – they experienced the best night’s sleep in ages.
• Most commented on feeling great on Sunday morning (in part due to point one). This is also due to awaking with a positive attitude, looking forward to taking positive action for the day’s outcomes. This invigorated them as they woke up.
• People achieved new high levels of clarity in their thinking and communication. One participant has already commented on experiencing much improved communication on their first day back at work – something which their colleagues and clients have already commented on.
• The improved communication even extended noticably for three participants into larger and more clear handwriting in their workbooks. It is amazing how our ego typically causes confusion and unclear thinking in an attempt to sabotage any decision making that might otherwise take us out of our comfort zone (otherwise known as growth).

How Much Scepticism is Too Much Scepticism?

I recently ran into someone (we will call him Ken) who has been steadily and successfully making changes to his life. Ken reminded me of myself… up until 4 years ago – he was actively sceptical about many things, especially from the world of personal development. In fact Ken spent a lot of time and energy on being sceptical…. I have to say that I am too (still, sometimes)… and I recognise that this can be a double-edged sword… I’ll explain why:

I like to research and seek evidence for much of what people may want me to believe and I certainly don’t just take it at face value. In the past, my research and evaluation would be very much based on gathering information – the line between this and procrastination sometimes becomes very blurred. Now, I still may chose to do some research – and I don’t rely on it. Instead I use my intuition – I can quickly and confidently make reliable decisions.

Having spent a lot of time around the personal development market and a considerable amount of money on things like NLP training, mastery of life courses, coaching etc, I am not a great believer in the ‘magic bullets’ claimed by many. I’ve seen that the majority of people don’t manage to change much or meet their objectives. Change, or transformation as I call it, can be achieved quickly and dramatically. However, it does take a radical change in beliefs, an alignment to your values, plus a new sense of purpose. It also requires a holistic approach… changes to many/most aspects of your life – particularly the energy you are in.

I have personally gained an immense amount from the last 4-5 years of personal development, albeit, I’ve needed to cut through a lot of ‘hype’ – I’ve learned to be discerning and holistic. I have also made an internal journey from being ‘locked’ into my logical (and sceptical) left brain, to also being able to use more of my right brain (creative, intuitive, fearless, trusting but not gullible). True power comes from optimal use of both these aspects of your self.

I realise (now), from personal experience, that too much scepticism holds you back. It creates limiting beliefs that your ego thrives on. This is how I was until the age of 38, when I decided enough was enough and had my first few glimpses of new ways of ‘being’. I know for my own part (and many others that I have worked with) that putting the ego back in its proper place is a massive step forward to breaking out of the ‘small box’ that our comfort zone imprisons us (all) in.

The great danger with scepticism is that – it is our beliefs that shape our destiny and achievements in life. Scepticism shapes our beliefs and feeds our ego which wants to keep us ‘safe’ and therefore stops us from expanding our horizons and achievements.

My experience and new ways of ‘being’ have a major impact on my levels fulfilment and success in life. This in turn has helped me to develop new empowering beliefs. For me, it has been a steady process of change. I know realise that being flexible enough to become discerning rather than sceptical and to affirm positive, empowering beliefs up front, without waiting for hindsight – can truly accelerate the process of empowerment, transformation and enlightenment.

Andy